Let’s Talk…Jill’s Diet. AGAIN.

So.  It’s the very first “Talk To Us Tuesday”, hosted by Impulsive Addict and Shawn.

And you know what I love about this brand new bloggy linky party?  NO RULES.  Just talk about whateeeever our little hearts desire.

I do realize many of you are probably very sick of hearing about The Diet, but it occupies my thoughts 98% of the day, so tough beans.  We’re gonna talk about it again.

My first weigh-in was August 22, so we’re three weeks into this thing, and I’m stuck at 8 lbs. lost.  In the past week, I haven’t dropped an ounce.  Do you know how FRIGGING FRUSTRATING that is when I’m trying so hard to only eat healthy foods, and smaller portions?

And don’t even get me started on that damn My Fitness Pal.  That’s where I obsessively track what I’m putting into my mouth every day and the exercise I do.   They have established a set number of calories that I should be eating per day.  So I keep eating roots and berries and dirt and water, and I plug everything in there, and you know what it tells me more often than not?  That I need to start eating MORE or else my body will go into starvation mode and I won’t lose ANYTHING.

BAH!!!!!

But here’s the good news:  I have completely cut out night snacking.  It was, by far, my biggest weakness.  On my first healthy grocery stock-up trip, I bought a bag of pretzels that have sat on top of my refrigerator ever since.  I bought them in case of an evening when I couldn’t.handle.it.  When every part of my body was telling me to go get in my car, drive to the store, and buy a big bag of Ruffles and a container of dill pickle dip.

Seriously.  Just drooled.

But not only have I not done that, I also haven’t even touched the pretzels.  Mainly because I haven’t had the urge to.  I’ve been keeping myself busy in the evenings, warding off the couch-potato-syndrome.  I’ve been playing the Wii Fit and going for walks and doing things around the house.  OH, and getting lunch ready for the next day.  That’s a bigger chore than it used to be.  Now I have to chop veggies and fruit and get it all packed up ahead of time.  I’m no longer grabbing last-minute junk as I fly out the door in the morning.

Another reason for not touching the pretzels?  Fear.  I’m afraid if I crack into that bag, I’ll eat the whole thing, and I’ll be reminded of the salty goodness of my night time snacks.  I’m afraid simply the sound of that crackly bag in my hands will trigger that “I NEED CHIPS” voice in my head.  I’m afraid I will fall victim once again to the chip-and-dip cycle.

(For those  not familiar with the chip-and-dip cycle:  I buy a bag of chips and a container of dip.  But the chips run out before the dip, so I buy more chips to finish off the dip.  Then I need to get more dip to go with the surplus of chips.  And so on and so on.  It’s a vicious, vicious cycle.)

OKAY.  Enough diet negativity, right?  There have been good things.  Despite the fact that I haven’t been thrilled with the number of pounds lost, I’m feeling better in my clothes.  Pants aren’t so tight anymore.  My ring spins more easily on my finger.  I’ve got a long way to go with the ol’ spare tire, but I think maybe – maybe??? – it’s getting smaller.  And a few people have told me they’re starting to see it in my face.  They may be lying.  But it feels good to hear it.

I know it might be hard to tell, but that’s not really me…

Also, it’s taking less to feel satisfied when I eat, and I’m being very aware of stopping before I feel “full”.  Sunday night at my brother’s birthday dinner, I threw caution to the wind and indulged in a cheeseburger, Caesar salad, guac and chips, and a piece of chocolate cake with ice cream.  It was the first time I’d felt seriously uncomfortably full (a feeling I used to be quite familiar with and considered normal) in weeks – and I didn’t like it.  I recognize that now.

And…AND…the feeling of empowerment.  This is the feeling I’ve been trying to get ever since I lost weight the last time.  The feeling that I was afraid I’d never get back.  That I was too far-gone into the world of sloth and laziness and food addiction to ever recover.  Turns out, after a few weeks of healthy, calorie-conscious eating and more exercise, it starts to come sneaking back.  That sense of, “Hey.  I can do this.  Look at me go.”

 

It’s a way-of-living thing.  Finding healthy foods that I like (like baked sweet potato fries), so that I don’t crave the crap so much.  Sure, there are still cravings; yearnings for a Big Mac or a poutine from Mae’s or those pancakes that I just can’t get outta my head… But every day that I make it through without succumbing, I consider a victory.

One step closer to being a healthier me.

I’m working on it.

****

I promise, I’m going to try to stop writing about The Diet every second day.  But thanks to Impulsive Addict and Shawn for giving me the opportunity today.  Have something you want to get off your chest?  A funny story to share?  A deep dark secret you must confess?  Go visit them and LINK UP!!!!

What a weekend!!!

My weekend at the ball field was a complete success!!

Well…except for the part where the hometown team lost in the Finals.  I guess that wasn’t much of a success.

Alas, all of my Quyon Flyers player profile posts must’ve jinxed them or something.  Because after defeating the Ottawa Blitz on Friday night in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League’s Final Weekend Showdown opener, the Flyers lost their first game of the season at 11 AM Saturday morning to the Kars Aces.  They went on to beat Barrhaven immediately following that, but then faced Kars again in the Finals.  The tournament was a double-knockout format, so in order to take the Championship, they had to beat the undefeated Kars team twice.  But it never came to the second game, as they lost to them for the second time that day in the 5 PM game, and Kars was crowned the GOFL victors.  (For complete tournament details, please visit here.)

So another great season has come to a close, with the Flyers just coming up short in the end.  This is the third year in a row that they’ve missed out in the finals.

BUT…true to form, the Flyers rallied from the heartbreaking loss to host a pretty great party following the tournament.  I got to play my first games of Spoof, and thankfully, I never had to buy the rounds – AND I got two free beer out of it, not too shabby.  Thank you VERY MUCH, ladies and gentlemen, it has been a pleasure!

Oh, and for those of you keeping me accountable on the diet front – YES, I drank Molson 67 all weekend, so yay for me and my diet beer.  Except I’m not sure it matters when you end up drinking 12 of them…

A great weekend.  And I think my brother had a good time celebrating his birthday as well, as he showed up late for his birthday dinner at my parents’ place last night, causing our nephew to declare, “What kind of birthday party is this?  The birthday guy isn’t even here.  This is RIDICALUS!”

On a more somber note, I did take in quite a bit of the TV coverage on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 yesterday.  Wow.  Ten years.  Unbelievable.  I still remember that day like it was yesterday.  We did the “where were you?” thing around the kitchen table last night, and it came back to me in a flash…

I was a student at Heritage College in Hull, and I was studying at my locker with some classmates, when our student body president (who was also in my Liberal Arts program) came flying around the corner to tell us “something big” was happening  He was a pretty excitable guy, so I didn’t really know how serious he was.  He had a small TV in his office, and had just heard about the first plane hitting the World Trade Centre tower.  I remember asking him, “So…what does this mean?”  And he replied, “I don’t know.  But it’s not good.”  We had our first class at 9 AM, during which we learned that a second plane had crashed into the other Tower and that America was being attacked by terrorists.  That’s all anyone could talk about, but I don’t honestly think I understood yet the magnitude of how “big” this situation really was.

Following that class, I made plans to go with some of my Art History classmates over to the National Art Gallery in Ottawa to work on a project that we had to do, involving pieces of art on display at the Gallery.  As we were crossing the bridge into downtown Ottawa, the radio DJ on the station we were listening to actually broke into a song to announce that Parliament Hill and many other downtown offices had been evacuated, and that everyone was to keep clear of the downtown core if at all possible until further notice.  We decided since we were already there, we’d go ahead and get in and out of the Gallery as quickly as possible.  I’ll never forget how eerily quiet the streets of downtown Ottawa were that day…

When we returned to school around noon, we discovered signs in the doors of the college saying classes had been cancelled for the rest of the day so that we could go home and follow the situation in the US on TV.  I was supposed to stay at my friends’ apartment that night instead of catching my usual ride home to Quyon, so after I checked the empty halls of the college to make sure they weren’t still there, I made the twenty minute trek to their apartment – only to discover that no one was there.  Figuring they must’ve still been at the school somewhere and would arrive any minute, I sat on a tree stump in the yard waiting for them.  I sat there for almost four hours, waiting, worrying, and wondering what the hell was going on.  I didn’t have a cell phone, I didn’t have any money on me, and I had no idea what I was going to do.

Finally, I tracked down my friend Priscilla, who lived not far from them.   We watched horrifying footage on her TV and wondered what all of this meant.  She let me use her phone to call my mom, who told me sit tight and to call my friends’ parents and see if they knew where they were.  I got my friend Chris’ mom on the phone, and she explained that one of the other mothers had picked them all up after she was dismissed from work earlier that day, but they were all going back down to the city and they would be there soon.

We went to the movies that evening to distract ourselves, but I’ll never forget watching the wall-to-wall news coverage later that night at their apartment, and that sick pit of worry that sat in my chest.  We watched clips of those hijacked planes crashing into the Twin Towers over and over, we watched people jumping from the buildings and flailing desperately as they fell to their deaths.  We saw fear in the eyes of the newscasters, we saw terror on the faces of the people on the streets in NYC, we felt confused and horrified and never so unsafe in our lives.

We stayed up late watching TV because I don’t think any of us wanted to go to bed.  We didn’t know what world we would be waking up to in the morning.  There was this tremendous sense of lost innocence.  I remember thinking, “Nothing will ever be the same again…”

When I finished telling my 9/11 memories, Luke. said, “Wow.  That was a really long story.”

All I could think to say was, “Yeah, well…it was a really long day.”

A day that none of us will ever forget.

Some weak confessions on pancakes, Rihanna, and skinny beer

Friday is heeeeeeeeeeere!!  I’m so exciiiiiiiiited!!

But in order to enter the weekend on a clean slate, I must confess.  All of my sins.  Or at least the silly things that are running around my mind.  Linking up with Mamarazzi…

I confess…that the weird Mac & Cheese Loaf cravings of a few weeks ago have subsided, only to be replaced with dreams of fluffy, hot, buttery pancakes smothered in corn syrup.  This is what I think about when I wake up in the morning, when I pick at the roots and dirt I eat all day, when I go to sleep at night.  But better than a whacked out lunch meat, right?

I confess…I tried substituting lean ground turkey for lean ground beef in my chili recipe this week.  It was disgusting.  Word to the wise:  ground turkey is NOT a  good substitute for ground beef.  EVER.

I confess…that I hate Rihanna’s new song “Cheers (Drink to That)”.  I thought I liked it…I really did.  But it got stuck in my head, and not in a good way.  I couldn’t do anything without hearing it.  And it’s like the song that never ends.  I’d tell myself, “Okay, let the song end, then just don’t re-start it.”  Doesn’t work.  I hate it.

I confess…my house needs to be cleaned in the worst way.  But I’m ignoring it this weekend.

I confess…that I’m ridiculously excited about hanging out at the ball park tonight and tomorrow.  As if you didn’t already know that from reading this, this, this & this.

I confess…that this diet is throwing a serious kink in my “getting drunk” plans for this weekend.  I loathe that alcohol is so high in calories.  I guess it’s Molson 67 for me.  And no food.  If it goes well, I’ll be a skinny Sadie before you know it.

I confess…I’m ready for fall.  I don’t like to wish away a season, but I’m ready.  Bring on the cooler temps, the warm sweaters, the leaves changing colour, that smell in the air…Love it.

So. Those are some pretty lame confessions.  No deep-fried babies or anything.  Disappointing.  But that’s all I got!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend :)

Meet the Flyers: Shab, Toad & Hammer

Welcome back for the fourth and final “Meet the Flyers” post! We are now less than 48 hours away from the beginning of the Greater Ottawa Fastball League’s Final Weekend Showdown in Quyon. That’s right…by tomorrow night, I’ll be parked in the bleachers and ready to cheer on the first-place Quyon Flyers as they attempt to bring home their very first GOFL title. I.can’t.wait.

So far, you’ve already met Coach Papi, Albie, Bakeshop & Tron, Timmy Ball Player, Gerv, & Micksburg, and Coon, Hatty & Mo. Today, I’m posting the final three Flyers player profiles.

First up, we have the catcher, #25 Joe McCleary:

The Joe Cat’s 2010 Worlds mustache, which he called “Hulkster”

So. Ummm… I don’t really know what to tell you about Joe. I’m kind of scared of Joe. I have been ever since he laughed at me in Grade 7 French class when I tried to say “les Bruins de Boston” in a French accent. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like me. He might deny that, but I’m pretty sure.

Despite this, Joe had no choice but to communicate with me a few years ago. It was two years ago on this very weekend that Joe was in an accident, ending his season while his team was in the midst of the playoffs. Even though he was confined to a hospital bed, he didn’t want to be left out of the action. So for that reason, Coach Kenny ordered me to keep him updated on the games via Blackberry Messenger. I remember when Kenny first asked me to do this. I was like, “But…but…Joe hates me!” I got the eye-roll from him. “Doesn’t matter, Jill, just tell him what’s happening,” the coach ordered. I was scared. What if I wrote the wrong thing? What if I didn’t use proper fastpitch terminology? Would Joe laugh at me all over again??

He was pretty patient with me. That was probably difficult for Joe, since he was already completely frustrated with his situation. For a guy who lives and breathes fastball, not being able to play was like the worst punishment in the history of the world for him. And then, to have me giving him the play-by-play? Couldn’t get much worse, really. But the guy they call “Shab” vowed to return from that injury, and while it may have felt like eons for him, the following Spring he was back in a Flyers uni, in his crouch behind the plate.

Now in his 6^th season with the Flyers, Coach Kenny calls him one of the leaders in the line-up, adding, “He has great control of the game behind the plate.” Considered one of the best at his position in this part of the country, there’s no doubt in my mind that Joe will do everything in his power to help the Flyers win their first GOFL Championship. Good luck Joe! (See? Trying to get on his good side.)

The next player I’d like to put the spotlight on is Steve McCord, or “Toad” as he’s better known:

Steve and his stache, “Tim”

Steve is, quite simply, one of my most favourite people in the world. He can make me laugh like nobody else. He’s the best. In a group of funny guys, I anoint Steve The Funniest. One of my favourite Steve stories is one my brother brought home from the 2009 Worlds in Quad Cities. Luke said everytime the guys decided to go down to the hotel pool, Steve would run to put on Kenny’s swim trunks before he got a chance. I wasn’t even there to see it, but the image of Steve walking around in Kenny’s shorts – which, I imagine, fit him quite nicely – always makes me laugh.

As one of the team’s outfielders, #10 has been with the Flyers since the beginning and remains one of the cornerstones of the team. When I asked Coach Kenny about Steve, he was quick to compliment, saying, “Toad’s another veteran of this team, and he can play almost anywhere.” I’m not sure how many years ago it was now, but I recall sitting in the stands at a tournament in McNab and watching Steve hit FOUR homeruns in one game. Impressive, to say the least!

I’m sure nothing would make Steve happier than to be a part of a championship-winning team, so there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll be gunning for it this weekend. His girlfriend, Lynn – one of my roomies in Midland last summer and a big Flyer fan – will be cheering him on along with the rest of us at the Final Weekend Showdown!

So that leaves us with one last Flyer…My very own little brother, wearing the #8 jersey, Luke Young:

Luke’s mustache, “The Red Princess”

You know, it’s tough growing up in the shadow of a “superstar”. I mean, how do you think I felt when my own DAD cut me from the little league team, but Luke made it? And you know, once Luke started playing sports, we no longer went on fun family vacations. Instead, our holidays were spent at ball tournaments in such beautiful locales as Otter Lake and Fort-Colounge.

No. It hasn’t been easy being “Hammer’s” sister. (And don’t even ask me why they call him “Hammer”. Not only would it be inappropriate to write on the blog, it’s just inappropriate for a sister to know such things. And our mom reads this. Ew.) But his coach, Kenny, had this to say about the 2^nd baseman: “Hammer is not only my cousin, but also my best friend. He’s a pleasure to coach and I’m so grateful to have him on the team. He’s a veteran of the Flyers, and he can play either side of 2^nd base. He truly is a superstar, and I want to be more like him.”

…Or something like that.

As if the title of “superstar” in the family isn’t enough for him, Luke also occasionally tries to steal my thunder as the “writer” in the family. From time to time, he will pen game re-caps to send out to his “fans” by email, to let them know how the team is doing. He had been noticeably quiet this season, claiming to be too busy to do his game reports…That is, until he hit homeruns in back-to-back games earlier in the summer. Luke isn’t exactly known to be a homerun hitter, so he was understandably pleased with this feat. And wouldn't you know it? That very week, we all got a lengthy email to let us know how the “Flyers” were doing!!

But at the end of the day, I guess I’m proud of my brother’s athletic accomplishments. Because of him, the ball field is one of my favourite places to be. Of course I want to see him win at home this weekend. I’m hoping to celebrate the Flyers’ first-ever GOFL title with him and his teammates. So I think I speak for us all – his girlfriend Amanda, and our whole family – when I say…Go get ‘em, Lukey.

OH, and by the way…Luke will be turning 26 at the ball field on Saturday. If they’re able to win the FWS Tournament, this could be the most epic birthday celebration yet…But NO PRESSURE GUYS!!!

The Flyers play their first game of the weekend on Friday evening in Quyon at 7 PM vs. the Ottawa Blitz, to be followed by Barrhaven vs. Kars at 9 PM. Games will continue all day Saturday. For the full schedule and tournament details, please visit the Eastern Ontario Fastball Blog here.

So that concludes the “Meet the Flyers” series!! I’d like to thank Kenny for the “in-depth” interviews he gave me, as well as the other players who helped out when I had questions. Also, to the Facebook pages that I stole pictures from (especially Britt & Lynn’s!), and to the guys who posed for those infamous mustache close-ups last summer. These posts wouldn’t have been complete without them.

Good luck to all of the teams competing for the GOFL Championship this weekend.

And of course…GO FLYERS!!!

WWTK Wednesday…Here comes the holiday season!!

In an email exchange with my cousin Kenny last week, we somehow ended up talking about Christmas Eve.  Something about how I’m not allowed to lick Tequila Rose of Randy’s new bar this year…

What?  I couldn’t waste it.

Anyways, Kenny eventually said, “Kind of scary that we’re talking about Christmas Eve in August.”  Yes.  It was.  But now it’s September, so I think I’m allowed now, right?  And what better reason than via the We Want to Know Wednesday questions??  Linking up with Mamarazzi and Queso!!

Here are this week’s holiday-related questions:

1. What is your favorite holiday?
2. Do you have any fun holiday traditions? What are they?
3. When do you start Christmas shopping?
4. What is your favorite holiday food?
5. Share a favorite childhood holiday memory
6. Have you ever actually tried fruitcake??

And my holiday-related answers:

1. What is your favorite holiday?  I don’t even have to think about it.  CHRISTMAS.   Absolutely my most favourite time of year.  The decorating and the snow and the music and the presents  and the FOOD and the real reason for the season…all adds up to one awesome time of year!!  I love it.  I actually enjoy most holidays – Thanksgiving is right up there, along with Easter – but hands-down, the all-time favourite is Christmas.

2. Do you have any fun holiday traditions? What are they?  I actually did a post on some of my family’s holiday traditions last year – but the absolute favourite has to be Christmas Eve at Patti & Randy’s, Uncle Garry on guitar, and all of us singing The Coconut Song.  Yes, I realize it’s not a Christmas song.  But in our family, it is tradition.  And it’s awesome.

3. When do you start Christmas shopping?  Eeek…I try to have it done by the end of November, but I always seem to end up being a last-minute shopper!  I usually don’t start until after Halloween.  I’m definitely not one to start early or shop year-round.  I think I’d lose track.  I need to sit down and make a list and stick to it, or else I’d be outta control.  Plus, I just can’t get my mind on Christmas shopping when I’m still out buying Halloween candy, ya know?  I need the stores to be decorated and softly playing Christmas music and Santa sitting in the centre of the mall.  Only then can I officially begin to shop.

4. What is your favorite holiday food?  This is a trick question.  I cannot pick just one.  I love turkey dinner – all of it.  The bird, the stuffing, the mashed potatoes, the gravy, the stuffing, the cranberries, all the trimmings…I love Christmas morning breakfast of wifebeater and sticky buns…the feast of munchies around Patti’s island on Christmas Eve…pie, oh how I love pumpkin pie with whipped cream…HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PICK!?!?!?  PS – this will not be like the Fair.  I will not – I repeat, WILL NOT – abstain from Holiday foods.  (I might just try to cut back a little…)

*I just realized I wrote “the stuffing” twice.  Apparently I like the stuffing.

5. Share a favorite childhood holiday memory  There are so many.  Christmas has been my favourite forever.  As a kid, it was pure delight.  But the memory that jumps to mind right away was the year we got our very first computer.  After we opened gifts (and I was probably sulking that it seemed like we didn’t get that much that year), my mom directed us downstairs to the playroom, where there was a huge mountain covered with  a  blanket.  When we pulled the blanket off, we found all the boxes holding the parts of the new computer.  This was back in the day when computers were BIG machines, so it was a lot of boxes.  haha!  We were soo excited to have a computer!

6. Have you ever actually tried fruitcake??  I think I’ve tried a few bites over the years, always trying to convince myself that I’m missing out.  And after a nibble, I’m reminded that I hate it.   My mom makes my Granny Young’s recipe, which is supposed to be the best.ever.  They made it for my sister’s wedding, and I was told by non-fruitcake-lovers that even they liked Granny Young’s recipe.  But no dice for me.  It may be the only holiday food in the world that I just can’t get behind…

Loved this week’s questions.  And now I’m in a premature Christmas mood.  I don’t suppose it would go well in the office here if I busted out the Holiday playlist already…but I just might try. ;)

Meet the Flyers: Coon, Hatty & Mo

Today I’m featuring the third installment of the “Meet the Flyers” series, as we are now just four days away from the GOFL Final Weekend Showdown in Quyon! I hope you continue to familiarize yourself with the Quyon Flyers…or at least enjoy your time pointing & laughing at their mustache pics…

(You can find the first two installments here and here.)

The first player profile today belongs to the shortstop/pitcher, Matt Greer:

Matt and his 2010 Worlds stache, “Ron Burgundy”

Matt, known to his teammates as “Coon”, has been with the Flyers since the beginning, and he is now a leader on this team. If there’s one thing I know about Matt, it’s this: He lives and breathes sports. He’s a high school athletic co-ordinator, he referees high school basketball games, and this past summer, he helped coach one of the Quyon minor league softball teams. I admire Matt’s dedication to passing on his love for athletics to the future generation.

At the ball park, Matt’s a pretty serious guy, but he can be a lot of fun too. For instance, there was the time a gang of us – including a bunch of Flyers - took a bus from Quyon to the AC/DC concert in Ottawa. On the way home, we stopped in Aylmer at McDonalds, only to discover the doors were locked and they insisted we had to go through the 24 hour drive-thru. Ummm…HELLO, we’re on a SCHOOL BUS!! The employee who came to the door told us he guessed we’d have to walk through. So within minutes, they had about 20 drunk people standing at their window, shouting, laughing, and trying to place orders. The guy working the drive-thru told us to get in line. Matt decided if he pretended to be driving a truck, maybe he might get served more quickly. So he grabbed on to his “steering wheel” and people started hopping in his invisible truck – one in the passenger seat, three in the back seat. When I tried to squeeze in, Matt shouted, “NOPE, THERE’S NO MORE ROOM IN MY TRUCK!!! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT!!!”

When I asked Coach Fleck what strengths #22 brings to the team, he told me, “Matt can bat anywhere in the line-up. He brings as much power as anyone to the game.” Hopefully we get to see plenty of that power this weekend as the Flyers compete for the GOFL title. And I’m certain that Matt’s girlfriend, Leigh – one of my roomies in Michigan last summer and a loyal follower of the team – will be joining the fans in the stands to cheer on him and the rest of the team.

Moving on, the next player I’ll be featuring is the pitcher, #12 Drew Hathway:

Drew’s mustache “Cedric”

Ahhh, good ol’ Drew. I can always count on him to let me know when the season begins, because he PING’s my Blackberry Messenger about 26 times every year before the first game. When my phone starts buzzing and dancing around like crazy, I can almost guarantee it’s “Hatty”, letting me know the season is about to begin. He’s also been known to steal my BB and run away with it, sending unapproved texts to people without my permission…but we’ll save that story for another day…And if you’re ever at Buffalo Wild Wings? Ask for Drew’s help – as a chicken wing connoisseur, he knows that menu inside and out, and his recommendations on flavours are always top notch.

Now in his 4^th season with the Flyers, Drew can also be counted on to bring fierce competitiveness and a strong will to win, every game. Of course, Coach Fleck had some big praise for Drew when I interviewed him. “Hatty’s got a dirty drop ball and a big bat, we can’t ask for much more,” Kenny said. His name and reputation are well-known in fastpitch circles, and this was never so evident to me as last summer at the Worlds in Midland, when Drew couldn’t walk more than ten feet without being greeted by another player, coach, or fan from teams far and wide.

Along with the other members of the Flyers’ strong pitching staff, Drew gives this team an excellent chance at winning their first GOFL championship. His girlfriend Krista will hopefully be joining me and the rest of the Flyers faithful at the park in Quyon, rooting him at the Final Weekend Showdown!

And the last player for today is Shawn Laframboise, or “Mo” as he’s better known to most:

Mo & his mustache, “Billy Ray”

My first question for Coach Fleck concerning Mo was this: Exactly what position does he play? Because when I got thinking about it, I’ve seen him play catcher, first base, and in the outfield. Apparently, that’s one of #15’s biggest assets to this team, as Kenny said, “He plays many different positions when called upon. He brings the small game to the park when asked to do so, and he can also play the long ball.”

Mo is another member of this team that gives back to the community whenever he gets the chance. He helped coach a Quyon minor-league softball team to victory this past summer, and earlier this year, he donned a curly wig and a lovely cowgirl outfit for the women’s Flyers fastball team fundraiser – and at the end of the night, brought home the big title of “Miss Peach”. Despite winning the contest, I think I can speak for everyone when I say I hope we never have to see that again…

Mo has been with this Flyers team since Day 1, and it would undoubtedly be rewarding if he was able to help bring home the first league title at the Final Weekend Showdown. All I can say is that if they’re able to do so, and the celebration moves to the dance floor at Gavan’s afterwards, ladies beware – Mo spun me around once in a puddle of spilled drinks, causing me to fall, and I had a bruise on my shin to show for it for weeks afterwards.  He’s dangerous.

Well, that’s a wrap on this installment of “Meet the Flyers”. Be sure to come back on Thursday for the final player profile post, where I’ll be introducing you to Joe McCleary, Steve McCord, and of course, my very own brother, Luke Young.

Only a few days to go…can you feel the excitement building?!? :)

Holiday Monday Check-In

Just stopping in quickly on this Labour Day Monday to say that I DIDN’T EAT ANY FAIR FOOD THIS WEEKEND.  Holy crap.  It’s a miracle!!  A Labour Day MIRACLE!!!

But?  The crappy part?  I weighed myself Saturday morning, and I was down a total of 8.6 lbs since my very first weigh-in.  I was ecstatic.  Then I weighed myself again this morning (as I mentioned, I’m obsessed with the scales these days), and I was UP 2 lbs.  Dammit!!  I might as well have eaten a deep-fried Mars bar or a Beavertail and at least I would have felt like I DESERVED those two pounds!!

Frig.

So.  To divert my attention from those two stupid pounds and to cheer myself up, I’m going to look at pictures of my adorable new baby cousins, whom I finally got to meet on Saturday.

This is Ryla:

And this is Dillon:

And I’m not 100% sure, but I think they *may* have been the stars of the show at Aunt Marion & Uncle Eric’s on Saturday…

Haleigh getting in some quality snuggle time with Dillon

The closest I got to both babes in the same shot!

Daddy’s boy

Ryla telling her sad tales of woe

Kisses for Dillon from cousin Caden

Danica can’t wait ‘til they can run around with her…

Dillon’s Admirers

Oh, hey, have I mentioned lately that I want a baby?…

Confessions: Shawville Fair Edition

You know what today is.  Linking up with Mamarazzi for some Friday Confessions:  Shawville Fair Edition.

I confess…I had no intentions of going to the Fair last night.  But Josee twisted my arm.

I confess…that last night may have been the first night I’ve ever spent at the Shawville Fair and did NOT take part in the delicious Fair food.  I watched my friends eating deep-fried Oreos, deep-fried dill pickles, cheeseburgers…Josee even literally DANGLED her Beavertail in my face.  (that sounds mildly dirty)…  And I did not succumb.

I confess…that while it was difficult, it was worth it when I stepped on the scales this morning and saw that I’d lost another pound since I weighed myself Tuesday.

I confess…weighing myself has become an obsession.

I confess…that my original goal was to only eat a *few* fair foods this weekend.  A 4H cheeseburger.  A slice of Billy T’s pizza. And a Beavertail.  Those were my limits.  I have now made a new goal:  NO FAIR FOOD AT ALL.  Just Diet Pepsi.  Think I can do it??  I don’t think so.

I confess…that I think the stand that sells the Blooming Onion is nuts.  Even if I was dying for a Blooming Onion, I WOULD NOT PAY YOU $8 FOR ONE, YOU CRAZY PEOPLE.

I confess…that instead of eating at the fair, I went shopping.  Country Charm had a booth set up in one of the exhibition halls.  I bought two cute Fall signs for $0.99/each and a Christmas sign for $1.99.  You can’t find those kinds of deals in stores, people!

I confess…that after standing in the petting zoo barn and watching the little goats practically diving through the bars to get to the kiddies with their hands full of goat food, I think they must starve those poor baby animals.  I feel your pain, little goats.

I confess…that I haven’t bought a ride pass to the Fair since I was in high school, and every year since, while wandering through the Midway, I regret it.  I miss being a kid.  I miss the Round-Up.  And the Scrambler.  And the Gravitron.  And the Tilt-a-Whirl.

I confess…that I’m more excited to meet the new Baby Cousins on Saturday than I am about the Fair.  That being said, Dean Brody will be a nice way to end the day.  He’s kinda hot.

I confess…that I really don’t think I’ve ever heard of Honeymoon Suite, the headliner tonight.  Seriously, who the hell are they?!  And does their hair still look like this?!?!?!

I confess…that for the first time in years, I’m contemplating skipping the Demolition Derby on Monday at the Fair.  Honestly?  I go up there every year, and end up coming home hot, tired, dirty, and wondering why the hell I spent my long-weekend-day-off watching cars smash into each other.  The real reason is the last chance at Fair food.  And since I’m giving that up, there’s no reason to go.

See?  It always comes back to food with me…

I hope you all have a wonderful long weekend, and if you’re at the Fair, hope to see you there! :)

Meet the Flyers: Timmy Ball Player, Gerv & Micksburg

The first “Meet The Flyers” post was a huge success – you either loved reading about the players, or enjoyed laughing at their pictures (what? you pose for a mustache-close-up, it’s bound to make it to the blog!!)

So today, I welcome you back as we are now just over a week away from the GOFL Final Weekend Showdown. This time, I’ll be introducing you to three more players from the first-place Quyon Flyers.

We’ll kick things off with the 3^rd baseman, wearing the #5 jersey, Tim Craig:

Tim and his 2010 Worlds mustache, which he named “The Frenchman”

You know, one of my first memories of Tim was back before I even really knew who he was. I was scorekeeping for the 3-pitch league in Luskville, about eight or so years ago now, and he was the star shortstop in that league. My brother was also playing there at the time, and somehow we managed to get my dad out to a game to watch. My dad – like most fastball purists – doesn’t consider 3-pitch “real” ball. It puts a sour look on his face. (Even more so than usual.) And I can tell you after watching that game, the thing that disgusted him almost as much as knowing my brother was playing that so-called “activity” was that Tim Craig was, too. He was so impressed with Tim’s athletic ability and quick reflexes that he thought it was an absolute shame that he was wasting it in a 3-pitch league.

Last season, my pa’s wishes came true when Tim joined the Flyers, and thus, “Timmy Ball Player” was born. When I asked Coach Fleck what Tim’s assets are to the team, he didn’t hesitate: “Not much gets by this guy at 3^rd. He does whatever it takes to get on base and uses his speed when he does.” Also, the fact that Tim married into the Pontiac Ice family means that he supplies the team with ice for the coolers at home games. Helping to keep the beer cold on game nights for the 2-for-5 special? Definitely makes him invaluable to this team…

When Tim comes to the ball field, you can almost guarantee that he brings with him his own little fan club – his wife Tara, step-daughter, Lauryn, and two boys Greyer and Ashton. In fact, Grey can often be found hanging out with the guys on the bench, proudly wearing his red-and-white Combat hat, and trying to lure the guys into batting practice with him. He’s kind of like their own little mascot. Be sure to give him a high-five if you see him at the Final Weekend Showdown!

Next up, we have outfielder Curtis Daley:

Better known as “Gervais”, he’s one of the guys who started out playing fastball at a very young age in this town. He might be a little on the short side, but man, he can run – and always could. I distinctly remember watching him play as a kid, and he was quite often a source of frustration for the coach at third, who always had a hard time holding him up when he was flying around the bases. Now all grown up and wearing #2 in his third season with the Flyers, Coach Fleck refers to him as a quality team guy who is a perfect bottom of the lineup batter. “He usually keeps the innings going,” Kenny added.

The only problem I have with Gerv? The fact that every year, he insists that the best part of the Canada Day Parade in our little town is my brother Luke carrying the flag down to the Ferry docks for the flag-raising ceremony. I argued with him this year that I do the exact same thing, but he said, “No no, Jill. You can be second-best. But the best part of this parade is always Luke. Every year. I love it.”

By the time the Final Weekend Showdown rolls around, Gerv could very well be a new daddy as he and his girlfriend Simone are expecting their first child, due any day now. We all wish Gerv the best of luck, both on and off the field!

Our final player profile for the day will go to pitcher Joran Graham:

Joran and his stache, which he called “Merv”

Joran, more commonly known to his teammates as “Teddy” or “Micksburg”, has been with the Flyers for five years now. He is widely known as one of the hottest young players in the area, and often gets the call to represent at international softball tournaments. Wherever #4 goes, success usually follows. I asked Coach Fleck to tell me a bit about what it’s like to have Joran on his roster, and he couldn’t say enough good things about him. “He’s a great young pitcher, and keeps opposing hitters off balance all game. He also hits the ball with the best of them,” Kenny told me. Sounds like we can’t ask for much more.

I believe it was last year at the Gil Read Memorial in Carp that Joran ended up with something like four or five of the MVP T-shirts they handed out after every game. He practically could have been sporting one every day of the week. If he’d played a few more games, and he could’ve had one for every guy on the team. His presence on the Flyers’ mound led them to victory at that tournament last year, and likewise, he gives them a solid chance at winning any game when he’s in the line-up.

The Flyers have an excellent opportunity to take their first GOFL title in the Final Weekend Showdown, and with this seasoned young star around, their chances only increase. With his biggest fan & girlfriend Brittany cheering him on, Joran can be counted on to do his best to help the team bring it home!

That wraps up this installment of “Meet The Flyers”. Next Tuesday, I will be putting the spotlight on Matt Greer, Drew Hathway, and Shawn Laframboise, as we draw closer to the FWS in Quyon!